A woman charged in a Minneapolis homicide has agreed to testify against her co-defendant as part of a plea deal.
The victim was found critically wounded by responding officers and later died at Hennepin County Medical Center. Police recovered .45 caliber shell casings at the scene and matched them to a Springfield pistol found in Karjala’s bag days later when both she and Archie were arrested in Saint Paul. Ballistics testing confirmed the weapon was used in the killing.
Karjala’s DNA was later found inside the victim’s vehicle, along with Archie’s. Cell phone data also placed both defendants in the area of the shooting at the time and surveillance video supported the timeline, showing two people in ski masks approaching the area before the shooting and fleeing afterward.
Karjala remains in custody. Had she gone to trial and been convicted on the original murder charge, she faced up to 40 years in prison.
